The Lifeguard
by RainboIsland
Summary: Countless training hours of CPR seemed to come to her brain like a godsend, and her savior instincts lapsed for a few seconds for her to feel stupidly uncertain about putting her mouth to this girl who- she seemed to realize in that same lapse was not unattractive- AU
1. Chapter 1

It was a hot and sunny day. A very sunny day. A very hot sunny day. One of those days that made Fiona Coyne regret becoming a lifeguard.

Well... no, that was most days.

She had thought it would be a good, easy summer job. The pay was good... Well not by Fiona Coyne's standards but- You could sit around, soak up the sun. Gawk at hot girls in bikinis. Oh how she had been wrong.

Turns out, as much as she had thought that lifeguards just sat around most of the day. There actually were a lot of people that did not know how to swim. But insisted on it anyways.

The brunette shifted in her high lifeguard's seat. Which was bright white, making it very hard to look at in the glaring sun. The little attempt at an umbrella over her wasn't helping, and neither were her little uniform red board shorts. Which kept little of her thighs off of the hot, rough surface of the wooden chair.

The heat had definitely gotten to her, and she could feel sweat going down her neck. Despite having tied up her thick curls. There was a trickle of it sliding over her collarbone, and down her chest, and just, ew gross.

Another negative to being a lifeguard; you didn't get to go in the water unless someone was drowning, or you were on break.

Fiona stood, just to get her expensively lotion-ed soft skin off of the disgusting surface of the bench. (Really though when she was off shift she knew Jake was sitting there sweating just as much as she was, and, ew, boy sweat.)

From her new vantage point though she could easily see the whole beach, and the water of Lake Ontario, swarming with people.

There was a group of kids around her age playing chicken. Something she was supposed to stop..., but didn't. She looked from the four teenagers to a group of little kids in the shallow waves. Then back out to the edge of it. Where everyone thinned out.

A splashing, white watered, mess had emerged right near the boat line. Sometimes she hated kids for making her job so hard.

The brunette, squinting, and unable to make out if it was couple of kids being idiots, or someone drowning. She grabbed at her whistle. Letting out a long breath into it. When the splashing didn't stop she uttered a soft 'dammit,' under her breath.

Right as she brought the plastic whistle to her lips again the splashing abruptly stopped as rather large wave consumed that area. Fiona just barely made out a head going under before it.

She waited longer than she was supposed to. A small commotion around the spot in the water had started up.

She honestly wasn't hoping someone else would do something, or that she wouldn't have to. She had made more than one false call.

But by the time she was blowing her whistle again she had already hit the sand, and was running at a speed not easily achieved on the shifting, and burning sand.

Swimming through the strong waves was easy, and halfway there she realized she'd forgotten her rescue buoy... Some lifeguard.

She was half thankful, and half terrified when she got to the spot she had seen from her chair and there was someone there. But she didn't have much time to think. Really, she was just action.

It was a thin girl, and she looked unconscious. That was pretty much all Fiona comprehended, and that it was a lot deeper, and a lot further out than she had thought from her hot white perch high above.

She slid an arm around the girl. Forcing her way back through the waves. Glad that people parted so readily for her. Her mind so frantic she really barely comprehended the fact that it was because she was wearing a bright red lifeguard's uniform.

It was much harder when she reached the shallow water just before the beaches edge.

Fiona was infinitely glad that the girl was light by then. She was strong from lifeguard training, and basic body upkeep, but not that strong.

After what seemed like hours, which it could have been with this girls life practically ticking away by the millisecond. Fiona reached dry land and dropped her to the ground. Instantly checking her for a pulse, and breathing.

Her pulse was sluggish, just barely there. The airflow was a nada.

Countless training hours of CPR seemed to come to her brain like a godsend, and her savior instincts lapsed for a few seconds for her to feel stupidly uncertain about putting her mouth to this girl who- she seemed to realize in that same lapse was not unattractive- But her logical mind shoved it aside and she was already beginning the motions.

She had the girl's nose plugged, and her mouth opened. She was giving her one long breath of air. Fiona's heart was in her ears. The whole beach was seemingly gone, except for the cold un-breathing, un-moving, girl beneath her.

She counted the chest compressions in huffs of her own air. Which she then realized from the burning in her chest she was short of from the vigorous swim in and out of the chilling lake.

Oh well, she went in for another long breath, then chest compressions again. Her heart had slowed in her ears, somehow.

The thought didn't even register that this may not work, because it had to. The motions became mechanical, and she was unsure how long she had been attempting to revive her.

Then it worked. The girl was choking and sputtering, like something out of a movie. Her whole thin body convulsing as it expelled more than a mouthful of lake water.

Fiona watched in astonishment. Her hands still sitting laced on the girls sternum. As her eyelids fluttered open, flicking off droplets of water. To reveal two chocolatey brown orbs, clouded with confusion. They moved slowly from side to side, before landing on Fiona.

For some reason those eyes on her made her feel kind of fuzzy, and she could blame the way her thoughts clouded over on the fact she still hadn't quite caught her breath.

The girl coughed again. Expelling more water, and moving under Fiona's hands. Goosebumps rising on her skin, and for some reason on Fiona's too.

Fiona had pretty much forgotten that she was physically there. Until the girl directed her gaze to her. Coughing once more, less violently this time, and asking in a scratchy voice.

"Are you an angel?"

Fiona's mouth fell open, and she found herself unable to reply. Instead she let out a small sound between a sigh and a laugh escaped her lips. Her hands drew away from the girl, and she fell back on her calves. The beach seemed to materialize around the two of them. Then she managed to find her voice.

"Hardly."

That and she found a small crowd of people. Some chattered loudly, some stared amazed, some looking terrified. But three shoved through the almost break-less circle in some kind of panic. Standing out obviously from those around them.

If not only from their panic-y demeanor from the very look of them.

There was the guy who led, clad only in a pair of black skull covered swim trunks and a thick chained necklace. With wavy dark hair. The perfect emo kid at the beach. Followed by a girl in a wide brimmed hat and comically big sunglasses. Then last stood a boy who looked like he'd never seen the sun he was so pale, with a large baggy shirt, and bright green shorts. A lost look on his face.

"Oh my god! Imogen!" The boy in the black shorts groaned. With eyes only for the girl who still seemed a bit more than dazed could cover. Her eyes flicking from Fiona's face, to the trio.

The crowd around them quickly broke up, and the girl in the hat looked to Fiona and gushed. "Thank god."

"Imogen I told you not to go in without me or Clare, we promised your mom you'd come home in one piece." The dark haired boy ranted. But with the compassion, and obvious relief at finding his friend okay never leaving his face.

"Is she going to be okay?" The girl asked Fiona. Distress still apparent in her tone.

"She should probably check with first aid, but she should be fine." Fiona replied, nodding rather dumbly. Possibly as shell-shocked as her near drowning victim.

"So I'm not dead?" The girl asked.

Which caused her panicky friends to almost at once relax. As if this was normal. Fiona felt her own shocked features shift at the question. into a small smile.

"Nope, you're alive, and probably well." The pale as a bone boy chuckled out.

"Thanks to you." She gave another little cough interrupting her statement. The dark haired boy had a hand on her back supporting her sitting position, and it seemed, soon to be standing one.

The look he was giving her, and the way he could barely tear his eyes away to look at Fiona and add his quick. "Yeah, thank you, so much..." Made her come to the almost immediate conclusion that this was her boyfriend.

She locked eyes with the little girl and felt a funny twist in her stomach, and, wow this girl was _really pretty_. Kind of adorable too. Which gave her a little fluttering in her stomach, like most pretty girls. It really helped that she had saved this girls life.

She simply smiled, a winning Coyne smile and retorted. "Just doing my job."


	2. Chapter 2

A week passed rather uneventfully for Fiona.

Nothing really could compare to reviving that girl. Even if she had brushed it off, it kept coming back to her. When she was zoning out watching TV, or listening to music, at home. Even when she was supposed to be watching the beach goers for any other possible injuries, or near drowning. She would catch herself thinking about it.

Surprisingly none of the details shifted in her brain like they usually did when you kept examining a memory. She was specifically grateful that the girls face stayed crystal clear in her mind.

The former socialite remembered quite clearly the feel of the other girls cold skin, and the sand rough against her knees. How nothing else had seemed to be there around them until she was sure the girl was going to stay alive.

It made her job seem less pointless. Even if she hadn't done anything close to as life changing since.

It was another one of those moments when she was zoned out. Her brain, despite itself, couldn't stop attempting to put a name with the girl's face. She knew she had heard it from the emo guy. But couldn't remember it really at all.

She was sitting at a wooden table at the concession stand. On break, with a Coke forgotten in her hands as she thought.

If she hadn't been so deep in thought she would have been able to get up and inconspicuously leave when one of her least liked co-workers entered the shaded eating area.

Shirtless, and wearing his red uniform trunks with pride. While Fiona had a v-neck shirt hiding most of her own uniform. Mike Dallas seemed to think the red shorts gave him some kind of license to be a complete dick. That or he thought simply being a guy was enough.

Fiona was drawn from her thoughts in time to see him flop down across from her at the small table she was seated at. Running her gaze over her like she was a piece of meat.

"Mike, I'm on break.." She all but groaned. Really there wasn't anything very relaxing, or break-like about having to deal with Mike Dallas.

"Yeah, and so am I. So why don't we keep each other company?" The dark-skinned boy suggested, a stupid grin on his features. Fiona wondered how any girls could ever like when guys did this. The stupid pick up lines, and obvious vulgar insinuations. Sometimes Fiona was amazed herself by just how gay she was.

"I'm fine with my own company." She deadpanned. Taking a sip of her forgotten soda when a bead of condensation slid down the cup to inch down her hand. Frowning more so when she realized how warm it had gotten.

"Aw, don't be that way. You know you want a piece of Dallas." He slid his forearms up onto picnic table lazily, and drew his fists up to rest his chin on.

Fiona hated the way boys took up so much space. Sprawling themselves out like they could take all that was available and more. Even if it encroached on her own personal bubble.

"I really don't think you have the..." She looked him up and down with a grimace. "Pieces, I'm looking for."

"What's that supposed to mean?" He looked like he was still trying hard to be playful. But was genuinely confused underneath it.

Fiona just rolled her eyes and smiled sweetly as she stood. Dropping her warm soda in the trashcan before heading off to fill the rest of her break before she had to go back on duty with Mike Dallas-less-ness.

* * *

Later that same day Imogen Moreno was skipping down an aisle of the grocery store. She was there for marshmallows for the bonfire she was to be attending.

When something made her stop in her tracks. Well actually, it was more like a somebody, than a something.

She half sat, half crouched in front of the rack that Imogen needed. Cut-off jean shorts riding up, and the cotton-y purple shirt she was wearing spilling out of the waistline of them to brush the floor. Her dark curls spilled over one shoulder. Making a deep contrast with her fair skin. She had something in one hand captured against her knee. A purse trapped under one arm, and she was scrutinizing the shelf in front of her like it was some piece of art and she was a critic.

She had features that Imogen was sure no matter what face you pulled them into she would still be some sort of beautiful, and Imogen thought that she had every right to have thought this girl was an angel.

Then the girl's gaze shifted from whatever had had her so focused, and she seemed to notice Imogen hovering. "Oh, I'm sorry did you need some... thing.." As she spoke she stood, and cleared the way in front of the sweets. Finally looking up to meet Imogen's eyes as she finished, and she didn't seem to be able to.

"Yeah, I did." Imogen slid into the spot the angelic girl had just vacated. Breaking eye contact just briefly, before looking back up to them. Struck for a second by how they seemed just as blue under the fluorescent lights as they had in the bright sun, beneath the blue sky.

"I'm Imogen Moreno by the way. You saved my life." Imogen threw in a great big smile. Something that came as naturally to her as squealing.

"I did, didn't I..." The taller brunette replied. (Or at least she seemed taller, what with her being in heels, and Imogen just in her Chucks. She couldn't be sure, and she had the feeling now wasn't the best time for measuring.) "I'm Fiona Coyne." She added, and Imogen wondered if she always sounded this far off.

"I'm glad we ran into each other like this. I wanted to thank you, like for real, for that." The girl, Fiona, then seemed to come to earth. Some thoughts swirling under the cover of her blue eyes.

"You already did, and there's really no need. I mean it's my job, and it's not like I would have just let you drown." Fiona attempted to wave her off, an amused look on her face.

"Well I was still kind of wondering what was going on when I thanked you before, and when I went to first aid they said if it had been a few seconds longer I could have had brain damage. So I wanted to thank you for your prompt-ness in saving my life." The darker-skinned brunette replied. Pausing for a brief second, before going on.

"Thank you Fiona Coyne, for so promptly saving my life. I am forever in your debt." Fiona couldn't beat down a smile at that statement, and the slight bow Imogen gave at the end. A thought that maybe they had been wrong at the first aid center about the brain damage rolled through her head.

"Your welcome Im-" Fiona pauses suddenly, her heart rushing in her ears with a wave of nerves. As she fumbled with the girls name in her mouth.

"Im-oh-jin." The other girl led her through it. Over enunciating the sounds and as Fiona tried to burn the sounds into her brain she couldn't help but notice the way her lips rubbed together when she hummed out the 'm'.

"You're very welcome Imogen." Fiona repeated, finishing this time with her own slight bow. Which confused her for a second, because that was so not something she would do in the middle of a grocery store. That wasn't really something Fiona would do anywhere.

But there was something about this girl. Some vibe she gave off, that just made Fiona feel like it really didn't matter. Who saw her, or what she did.

The girl had to have been feeling that vibe one hundred fold herself to be wearing a cat eared headband and overalls at her age as if it was the most normal thing ever.

"Well it was great we ran into each other like this. Now I have a name to start my list of lives saved this summer, with." Fiona stated, giving a small laugh. Just to make sure that Imogen knew she was joking. She would hate for this girl to get the idea that she was a lifeguard like Mike Dallas.

"Yep. Just perfect." Imogen gave Fiona a final smile. Scooping up her bag of marshmallows off the shelf, and heading off.

It made Fiona's stomach do a funny flip flop to see her walking away like that. Then Imogen turned around. Continuing to walk, but backwards, and stated.

"I hope we meet again, Fiona Coyne."


	3. Chapter 3

"Are you just going to sit around all summer, or are you going to do something?" Drew Torres prodded his roommate in the leg with a rolled up magazine. Which only caused her to draw it to herself and away from the reading material turned weapon.

"I have a job." She replied after a long pause.

"Yes, and you come home from it and sit around." Drew motioned to her current position and frowned. Which just earned him a glare in reply.

"Fiona. Let's do something. I wanna go out and party." The drop out gave a small circling motion with his first.

"And do you know of any hot party spots? Remember, I have no friends." The brunette finally gave her roommate her full attention. Eyebrows raised, and a loose frown on her lips.

This didn't seem to be a fact Drew had considered. His planning skills were below a three, and it was almost comical how his face screwed up in an attempt to come up with a solution.

"Don't think too hard, you might set off the smoke alarms." Fiona warned sarcastically.

Drew glared at the girl. Running his fingers through his dark hair. Making it stand up at funky angles. After about a solid two minutes, the almost painful look on his face cleared. Fiona half expected violins to start playing.

"My step brother's having a bonfire with some of his friends tonight. I'm sure he'd be fine with us coming."

"The mysterious brother. Who you haven't seen since you moved out?" Fiona asked with a quirked brow. Throwing her feet over the spot on the couch Drew had vacated to pace instead.

"Yes, that brother. I do only have one. It's just something small, like you like. I'm sure there'll be no alcohol, and it'll just be him some of his friends, a fire." Drew's voice went up an octave with excitement. The second he realized it he coughed and swallowed loudly to cover.

"Well..., I was going to wash my hair." She replied sarcastically. "But I'll go." Drew let out a small cry of victory. To which Fiona rolled her eyes and added. "You're paying for the cab."

"Yes okay, I'm just gonna go and get my wallet then." The cellphone salesman replied. Still doing the teenage guy version of bubbling with excitement as he jumped over the couch to head for his room.

–

When Fiona and Drew arrived at the 'party' location it took Fiona about thirty seconds to realize she had been deceived. About the same amount of time it took Drew to pay the cabbie and catch up with her. So when he appeared at her side she gave him a hard punch in the arm.

"You lied! Just something small like I like?" The brunette all but fumed. "There's over fifty people here!"

They still stood on the edge of the practically pulsating party, a small camp area on the border of the woods. Swarming with teenagers. A roaring fire the center of it.

"No I didn't lie! He told me last night he was just having a small get together, and I could come if I wanted. No Audra involvement..." Drew threw his hands up in surrender, taking a few steps away from his dangerous when angry roommate. Looking confusedly at the large crowd.

"He must've tweeted it!" He gasped, relief suddenly evident on his face. "Adam has like a million followers."

"Ugh! I hate you sometimes!" Fiona groaned.

"Yes, but the other times you love me."

"No, the other times I kind of like you. To a standable point." She sniped over her shoulder. Heading towards the crowd.

"So we're staying?" Drew asked redundantly, grinning and following the former New Yorker.

Fiona quickly found herself a place half in the shadows where she could scan the crowd. She had been a big party go-er before her rehab stint..., stints. Or at least she had liked think she was. Really she had just gone in search of alcohol. Which she now pretty much avoided like the plague. She had nothing like a support system here. Just Drew, and Holly J when she was on break from school.

So Fiona stood, scanning the crowd of people. Hands buried in her pockets, goosebumps covering her arms.

People watching had swiftly become a favorite game of hers. She'd already greatly enjoyed it. Add being a lifeguard in there and she had the perfect hobby.

She located Drew after; watching a group of three guys quite noticeably rating girls of to one corner for a good five to ten minutes. Then two girls who were obviously drunk out of their minds, and making out sloppily. Most likely for the attention of the small crowd of guys they had gained. She watched a jewfro-ed boy dance horribly to the indiscernible music coming from a boombox someone had brought, for a few minutes. Unable to look away it was just that bad.

Her roommate was talking to a cute girl with long curly dark hair, and a round face. He had his sly salesman smile on, and from his body language it was quite obvious he was into her.

She had half a mind to go over there and embarrass him like he had at the mall the other day in front of the hot blonde she had been talking to.

That half of her mind was rather convincing, and also the idea of walking into the thick of the crowd sounded appealing, because although it had been quite a warm day the sun had left with all the warmth. So the night air had seeped almost all of her body heat from her.

Disappointingly though. Right as she was halfway there the girl grabbed at his hand and pulled the two of them off. Away from the crowd, and from the looks of it, into the woods.

Fiona gagged a little, but was left standing in the thick of the crowd. She was about to turn back around and find her spot in the shadows again. Just after she got her body heat fill, because she could smell alcohol, and it smelled way to nice for her to be comfortable with.

Just as she was turning back to her spot however, she heard a bright, excited call of, "Fiona!"

She turned slowly, almost cautiously. She was pretty sure no one here should know her. There was another call for her, and she felt a hand on her arm. She almost swatted it off, until it was pulling her through the thick of the crowd. Which she was a bit grateful for. She had been getting turned around, and people's heads were in her way, backs, shoulders.

The hand on her arm, pulled her right into the ring of open space around the fire, and there was a familiar face. Smiling and just a adorable as the day that it had made her nervous of reviving her, since that involved practically kissing her.

"Imogen?" Fiona asked rhetorically, because really it was quite obvious that that was who it was.

"Yes. You remembered how to say it!" The bespectacled girl exclaimed happily.

"Of course, I have that list to start, remember?" Fiona laughed it off, because really this girl had taken up so much of her brain the past week. The past few hours since she had seen her. That there was no way in the world she would forget how to say her name.

Imogen giggled, and tugged on Fiona's arm which she still had a grip on.

"Sit down. The fire's really warm, and you're really not." When Fiona did sit, which she was a little hesitant about since the seat was a rather uninviting log. Imogen released her arm.

If the fire wasn't throwing all kinds of crazy shadows all over the place Fiona would have seen the blush on her cheeks as she realized how long she had been holding onto it. Really just touching her bare arm had gotten her blushing.

"So, what brings you here?" Imogen asked, eyes scanning the crowd around them. Before landing back on Fiona's, and Fiona couldn't help the strange bubbly feeling she got in the pit of stomach whenever their eyes met.

"My roommate's brother kind of threw this." Fiona answered, throwing her hands up to explain her this. Looking to the people around them again, because Imogen had this piercing gaze that made her feel like she had stripped away her perfectly constructed walls and she was vulnerable to her scrutiny.

Which actually didn't sound unappealing. Just, terrifying.

"What about you?" Fiona pushed on, because there was some part of her that wanted to know more about this mysterious girl who kept showing up in her life. There was a some part of her that wanted to know more, badly.

"Your roommate's brother that threw this is one of my best friends." Imogen stated, a small giggle falling from her lips.

"Adam Torres is one of your best friends?" Fiona asked, looking from where she had caught sight of another familiar face, The emo guy from the beach that day. Attempting to ballroom dance in the tiny bit of room he had with a curly light brown haired girl that must have been wearing a wide brimmed hat and big sunglasses that day. Both were laughing like madmen. To look back at Imogen.

The older brunette had an eyebrow quirked, and a bit of disbelief in her tone. Only to have Imogen nodding rigorously in reply. So much so that her glasses slid down her nose, and she had to shove them back up with her index finger.

"Small world." Fiona smiled, a bit too big for the circumstance. But Imogen just looked so cute. This girl was too adorable for her own good.

"It's a big world. Huge really. It just seems like it must have wanted us together. What with the you saving my life, and the grocery store, now this little connection" Imogen stated Oraclly. A confident look in her eyes, and Fiona felt a flush go to her cheeks.

"Definitely." Fiona replied, trying to make her blood flow go back to normal with deep breaths. "We must be soul mates." Now wasn't that the stupidest thing to say. Fiona internally groaned.

But Imogen on the other hand seemed to think it was the total opposite, and she awed, and re-iterated Fiona's earlier reply enthusiastically. "Definitely!"

The conversation between them seemed to lull at that, and Imogen was unsure if that was because of her reply, or simply because they had run out of things to say. But luckily it wasn't awkward, something Imogen had noticed about this girl, Fiona. She just made her feel, comfortable. Which created a comfortable silence.

You couldn't exactly call what was happening a silence, because there was still plenty of sound around them from the party currently happening. Which Imogen had almost forgotten about.

"So what were you doing sitting by the fire all by yourself?" Fiona inquired.

"I _was_ making s'mores."

"Was?" Fiona shifted her gaze back to the shorter girl cautiously.

"Well this party kind of happened around me, and someone took my chocolate, and I don't know what happened to my graham crackers." The overall clad girl pouted. Crossing her arms over her chest, and glaring accusingly at the mass of people.

"Do you still have marshmallow's?" Fiona asked. Turning in her seat, from staring at the fire to almost straddling the log and watching Imogen.

"Um, yeah.." Imogen's light bulb seemed to then go off. "We could just roast those!" She squealed, and Fiona's heart sped up stupidly in her ears at the word 'we' for some reason. A stupid reason.

The brunette shifted in her seat herself. Dragging the bag of marshmallows she had bought the last time the two of them had met to her feet, and retrieving the stick she had been using earlier. All the while bouncing excitedly like a little kid.

"Ew, you ate marshmallows off some branch?" Fiona frowned, sounding many levels of grossed out.

"Yeah. I don't exactly have something different." Imogen looked over to the lifeguard with an eyebrow raised.

"Something could have peed on that, or like a caterpillar could have laid its eggs on it or something." Fiona grimaced, scrunching up her nose as she spoke. Looking something close to mortified.

"I didn't expect you to be so prissy." Imogen giggled, giving the brunette a small poke in the stomach. Something she actually did quite often to Eli, Adam, and Maya. Her hand froze a few inches from the other girl, hovering over the log they had made their chair.

Fiona was staring at it, looking somewhat shocked. With her mouth hanging open, and her eyebrows raised. Imogen was expecting some freak-out about her invading this girl's personal space.

"What! I can't believe you, I am not." Fiona defended herself. Batting a hand at the other girl as if to fend her off.

Imogen couldn't keep in a giggle, of relief, and just because she was feeling really giggly recently. She opened her mouth, ready to reply with just how prissy Fiona was being. When a guy stumbled into their little circle of firelight and warmth.

Both girls looked up rather startled. They for some reason had gotten the feeling that they were alone this close to the fire. On their little log, but from the look of things. This guy did not feel that way.

He stumbled in a rather obviously drunk manner. He reeked of alcohol, and it was quite obvious what was in that red solo cup of his.

Fiona bit back a gag. This party, before Imogen had tugged her into their little fire-lit safety circle, had probably been one of the biggest tests to her sobriety since her need for a roommate fiasco.

The curly brunette gripped the log beneath her until her knuckles were white.

"Hey there girls. What's so funny?" The guy slurred more than he spoke, and landed on the other log that had been placed by the fire. Nearly falling in an attempt to look aloof.

"Nothing." Fiona replied shortly, instantly on the defense. Tensing even more when she felt a hand cover her own on the log. She felt like maybe her muscles might snap when she felt Imogen's body weight shift behind her on their seat, and her soft voice was whispering in her ear. Which sent goosebumps down her neck.

"_Do you want to leave?"_ The brown-eyed girl half asked, half offered. It took Fiona a bit longer than she would have liked to reply, because Imogen was so close, and she her lips were brushing the shell of her ear, and it hit Fiona then just how bad that bubbling in the pit of her stomach was getting.

But the drunk guy talking about something or another. Probably spouting off random pick-up lines. Which was convincing her what a good idea that was.

Unwilling to trust her voice Fiona just nodded. Cheeks heating when Imogen's hand on hers slipped into it, and pulled her up from the seat. Carrying her marshmallows under one arm, and shoving through the forest of people into the the one of trees.

The guy followed them a few feet, obviously outraged at them so unsubtly blowing him off. But seemed to get distracted soon after.

The two girls found themselves in a spot just outside of the clearing on a fallen tree. Which was at an angle making Imogen a bit taller than Fiona, sitting, and left her feet dangling.

"Thanks for rescuing me." Imogen instantly stated, feeling the flush in her cheeks growing. Glad that it was beyond dark out here, and she could barely see more than the basic idea of Fiona's face.

"_It was more like the other way around."_ Fiona mumbled under her breath.

"Hm?" The brown-eyed girl inquired.

"Nothing. Just that guy... I'm not too good with insistent jerks."

"I see." Imogen shifted. Her shifting caused her to slide down a few inches and she and Fiona's thighs touched. Causing her to blush for a stupid reason.

"Alcohol never really does bring out the _best_ in anyone." Imogen joked rolling her eyes. Flushed and attempting to talk it away.

"You can say that again." The blue-eyed girl grumbled.

"Alcohol never really does bring out the _best_ in anyone." The smaller brunette grinned.

Fiona let out a small laugh. Every time she thought she was starting to understand this girl she went and did something weirder. It was something Fiona was pretty sure she loved. Even though it seemed like something she would normally be avoiding like she did alcohol.

There was no sound between them but the noises from the party for a pregnant pause.

"Do you want a marshmallow?" Imogen asked, scooping a cylinder of puffed sugar from the bag. She'd forgotten in her lap.

"I don't really like marshmallows ra-" Fiona was cut off as Imogen pressed the thing to her partway open lips.

"Yes you do. You will."

She laughed at the girls insistence, which Imogen only took as an opening to shove the sweet into her open mouth.

"Hey!" Fiona scolded indignantly around the marshmallow. Grabbing the bag and throwing a handful at Imogen.

"Now that's just wasting." The smaller girl scowled, reaching for her bag of sweets back. Which only caused Fiona, in a burst of immaturity, to hold them over her shoulder and out of reach.

Imogen strained to reach for them. Which only caused her to slid the rest of the way down the tree trunk, and into Fiona. Causing the taller girl to slide back into the tangle of roots.

If it didn't happen so fast the two of them would have had time to be embarrassed. But it did happen so fast, and they didn't have time. So they ended up in a tangle of limbs, at the base of the dead tree. The bag of marshmallows on the ground. Some spilled out and mingling with the leaf mold.

Their faces ended up inches apart. With Fiona's nose brushing Imogen's, and it was all very cliché with they way they were staring into each others eyes. Leaning slightly in.

"Fiona I think I really like you." Imogen breathed, breaking the would be tense moment almost instantly. Leaning just a millimeter more.

"You barely know me." Fiona replied. Breath coming heavy, but slow, because she could feel Imogen against almost the entire front of her body.

"Yeah, but we might be soul mates remember? I don't need to know you too well."

With this girl she had been infatuated with for the past week or so so close, and her bringing up the soul mates thing. That sounded like perfect logic.

"Okay." Fiona barely breathed out the word, because she was so close to Imogen it didn't seem like she really had to use any volume or air at all. They were both already leaning in, quick and ready to close the space before she had even uttered the reply so it wasn't like it really mattered.

Imogen's eyes fell shut when she was close enough to Fiona's lips with her own she was sure she wouldn't miss.

But then a few things happened at once. There was a crack, and she was falling with a loud and painful oomph, into Fiona's chest not her lips, and her knees hit the forest ground hard.

Her name was being called not to far off in the dark, and there was some red and blue lights lighting up that dark.


	4. Chapter 4

The crack ended up being a root that Fiona had been leaned against. The girls' combined weight breaking it.

Eli and Clare were calling her name, because the red and blue lights were the police. Which someone had called about the teenagers partying in the campgrounds with drugs and alcohol. So they'd come to find her and get out of there.

Imogen listened to the couples hurried and anxious relaying of this information dismayed. Throwing a glance behind her to the girl she had been seconds away from kissing as her best friends urged her to get moving.

Fiona had a long list of emotions going through her as she heard about just how this night had gone so terribly wrong. Then as the girl she had been seconds away from kissing timidly started to follow her anxious friends disappointment masked all of those.

She wasn't even going to get a goodbye. She leaned back against the mangled tree trunk, not ready to start thinking about finding Drew and making her way home.

Her eyes wandered the dark branches interlocking above her, blocking out the light of the moon and stars. But occasionally lighting up with the quiet sirens of the police cars.

Until Imogen burst back through the trees, obviously in a hurry. She loosely gripped Fiona's denim covered hips and pressed her lips to the other girls cheek in a soft kiss. Pulling back to look the other brunette in the eye she smiled loosely. Whispering, "until we meet again, Fiona Coyne."

Then she was gone again, the resilient foliage covering even where she'd ran off to. Making Fiona wonder if that had really just happened. Only relying on the tingling in her cheek as proof.

–

Imogen's heartbeat felt funny in her chest the whole way home, and it wasn't from the narrow escape from the disastrous party. No matter how much Eli ranted about how Adam had to keep a closer watch on who shows up to his parties. Or more importantly, what they bring. Imogen couldn't think anything bad of it.

She had seen Fiona again, and actually talked to her beyond introductions. She had come across something you only read about in books, and saw in movies. She and Fiona definitely had a connection. One that made her heart beat a little faster. But that made her feel like she was going home at the same time.

When Eli dropped her off at her dad's. Clare asking six or seven times if she was alright in her strange, motherly way. Rather obviously in her very good girl mindset beyond shaken. Imogen could just barely nod, and couldn't stop herself from reaching up and touching her lips in a stupid way.

Because they were all tingly, and she hadn't even kissed her on the lips.

One thing was clear in her mind, she had to see that lifeguard girl again.

–

Fiona barely wanted to get out of bed the morning after that party. She felt like she had a bad hangover, she hadn't gotten to bed until two thirty last night. She'd only gotten home at one. After finding Drew, and untangling him from the girl she'd seen him run off with earlier. Admittedly a little bitter that she hadn't gotten more than a kiss on the cheek herself.

Except for the fact that she had been replaying that kiss over and over in her brain since the moment it had happened. It was definitely a better moment to be focused on than her memory of reviving Imogen.

She focused on every detail of the moment. How she had been flushed in the face. Obviously had run back from her friends hurried attempt at a getaway. Her hands on her hips, how at the last moment she had pivoted to the side and landed her kiss on Fiona's cheek instead of her lips. Then that whisper, how Imogen wholeheartedly believed that they'd get throw back together by fate again.

Fiona was sure it couldn't be more perfect. Even if she had kissed her on the lips.

She soon became stuck replaying that moment, and pretty much every other one from the party. Well, the parts of it she had spent with Imogen. She barely knew this girl, but she was sure that she had some type of feelings for her. Admittedly it was a bit much for a crush.

Five days past, and Fiona felt her own belief that she and Imogen would coincidentally bump into each other again beginning to fade. She had always been bad at having faith in things with no proof. She would not deny the fact that she was more than a bit of a pessimist.

Three times she almost went to Drew to ask him to get her in contact through his brother. But her pride kept winning out, and she really didn't need Drew teasing her about a crush.

The not very good looking fate of her 'relationship' or lack there of, even a friendly one, with Imogen had gotten Fiona into not the best of moods. Add the bright sun, and long shift to that and it was easy to see why Fiona didn't have a friend to be seen. Well one living in the _country_ that is.

The brunette was currently off duty. The lifeguard's shifts working in an on two hours off two hours agenda. To prevent idle-ness, and boredom initiated sleep. They were pretty much all teenagers after all. There was an air-conditioned lounge for the off duty lifeguards, that Fiona usually did her best to avoid. But soda was free in there, and it was just _so_ hot.

So she shouldn't have been surprised when she was approached by Mike Dallas. The boy was like dog, or a five year old. The more you told him he couldn't have something, the more he wanted it.

The blue-eyed girl nearly growled when he made his presence known.

"So Fiona, I have two tickets to a concert this Saturday-"

"Sorry Mike, but you're _really_ not my type." Fiona cut him off. Definitely not in the mood to deal with his chasing.

"And what _is_ your type?" Dallas's cool guy facade seemed to finally falter.

"Females." She'd avoided it for this long because she knew it would just be turned into something sexual to him but Fiona knew she was just going to have play the gay card eventually.

"No way. If you want to pretend you don't want to go out with me go ahead, but you don't have to lie." He replied, thumbs sliding into the waist band of his swim trunks. Obviously trying to stay cool.

"I'm not lying. I like girls, a lot." Fiona gripped her can of soda, irritated. She'd more than once had someone not believe her about her sexuality, and she was sure it was one of the most irritating things there was out there.

"So you expect me to believe you're some kind of dyke? You're way to... hot." The dark boy chuckled, and Fiona rolled her eyes. Glancing around the small lounge area to find it, surprisingly empty, and decided to do what her diva heart desired and storm out of the place in a huff.

Once outside she headed for the small line of trees that separated the beach from the parking lot. Marching along them with a deep frown on her lips, and anger bubbling up in her.

It wasn't just what Dallas had said. Although the guy had been annoying her all summer. It was everything in her that was mad, and frustrated being pushed to the edge. She gave the cool sand a hard kick, sending it up in a spray in front of her.

People didn't usually set up their camps this close to the trees. Even though it had a wonderful amount of shade from the near wall of medium sized trees it was quite far from the water. The of course main attraction at a beach.

At the moment Fiona couldn't be more grateful. So of course her first reaction when she felt a tap on her shoulder was to whip around a growl of _'what!'_ on her lips.

The anger in her vanished the second she saw just who it was standing behind her. She had expected Dallas. Which was ridiculous because she would have heard his footsteps meters away hurried in the sand, and she would have felt him looming over her. Not to mention the finger that tapped her wasn't bratwurst sized.

But still she was very pleasantly surprised to find bright brown eyes, and a the innocent round face of Imogen. Clad in only a very loose knit sweater, and black bikini beneath.

"Fiona!" She was grinning rather hugely, and seemed just thrilled to find her there.

"Imogen." Fiona replied, with a grin herself. Imogen's seemed rather contagious. "I was beginning to think the universe gave up on us."

"Oh... this one was all me... I kind of dragged my friends here, I wanted to... see you, and I thought this was the most likely place." The shorter brunette smiled nervously. The first show of nerves Fiona had seen from the girl.

"Oh, you wanted to see me?" Fiona couldn't help the flutter in her heart at that idea. Or the way it made her mind go to hopeful places.

"Yeah, I kind of wanted to..." Imogen had gotten a few inches closer somehow. She slowly trailed off, lifting her eyes from the sand which she had been stirring with her bare toes. "Finish what I started."

Fiona didn't have time to think about what that meant. Or stupidly stop her like she had the last time, because Imogen had barely finished her statement then she was kissing her.

Lips slow, and timid. Just a simple short kiss, like she had given her cheek the last time. Before she pulled away a few centimeters. Giving Fiona a rather big out.

An out, Fiona did not want to take. She gripped the other girls shoulders and brought her back for another timid kiss.

Neither had ever thought that kissing someone you barely knew a thing about would feel quite so right. But it did. It felt perfect.

Imogen's hands had found their own place on Fiona's hips. So when they did break they were still very close, and Imogen was staring into Fiona's sky blue eyes when she opened them, wondering if the electric she felt going through the rest of her body could been seen in her eyes. If Fiona could feel it in the places they were touching.

"I really like you, and I want to get to know you better." Imogen stated in a rush. Her cheeks were rather flushed under their naturally tan hue, and her grip on Fiona had tightened. "That's what, what I wanted to say." The brown-eyed girl looked back at her feet. Bare toes almost touching Fiona's in the cool sand.

"I'd really like that." Fiona couldn't dream of containing her smile now. "Would you like to go, to lunch with me?" The taller brunette, a bit begrudgingly, lifted a hand from Imogen's shoulder to gesture somewhere over it.

"Now?" The pigtailed girl asked. Sounding somewhere between surprised and hopeful. Her voice higher than before.

"If you want." Fiona replied, eyes flicking to the side, and Imogen wondered briefly if she detected a note of uncertainty.

Briefly that is, because she was a bit preoccupied with shaking her head. Maybe a bit to enthusiastically in the positive.

A small giggle passed through Fiona's lips at the other girl's eagerness. The sound seem to break the sliver of apprehension. Returning the calm, natural flow between them almost instantly.

Imogen, throwing caution to the wind, leaned onto her toes and pressed a swift kiss to Fiona's lips.

She was pretty sure nothing had ever felt more right.


End file.
